Maternity garment



Feb- 3, 1942 R. M. MAHoNEY MATERNITY GARMENT filed July 1e, 1941 Patented Feb. 3,1942y 72,272,01t u Mir'rnrtNrrnciAitivniziwrf Ruth M. Mahoney, .sento Moni-caldaia. *y Appiioation July 16, 1941',seria1-'No, d'zstrfVA I (c1. germ,

:tv Claims.

Thisv invention relates to'clothing and is more particularly concerned With a skirted garmentV vof the type which may loevexpandedv at the Waist 'to accommodateinc'reases'in `girth of the wearer' incident to pregnancy.

r'Ifo allow' `for adjustment of the waist o f" `maternity garments, for the purpose of increase ingthe cross-sectionalg area thereat, such garey mentsl are usually characterized by either an overlapping or pleated construction of thero'nt `portion of thesk'irt If the pleated construe tion is used, increasesincrossesectional' area are generally effected eitherby reduction of the nurn-v bernoyfA pleats or by reducing the depthfthereo'f. The overlapping construction, on the other hand,

involves simply a change Iin' the. location ofzthe e fasteners to compensate -velopment. Because ofthefact that theyuse of pleats yallowsmfor more variationin styling, thistype of maternity dress at; present 'enjoys great popularity, the designers of'maternitydres'ses, leroe` ploying` thelbasic Vprinciple .of pleats, fha'vingj de- Veloped la wide variety yof v'attractive oonstri'Jicfor physiological deaf ltions k'including concealed pleats, ornamental',

` pleats andlcombinations of the two. The reason for this activity, of course, is' to insuremaxirrium" 1 style :consistent with satisfactory adaptation lto maternityjuses. y f r e Although the-maternity garment of the pleated typeisA at present quite popular and's commerfcially vavai lahle'in awid'e Variety of styles,- ythere are somegfeatures thereofwhichV present difculn ties tothev user. j The principalnof these is the maintenance of the' hemline in a single horizontal plane."

' 'At thebeginning'l of pregnancy, when the iig'ure is normally proportioned, a fwelletted garment l y. -fembodying a modified form of the present'inven-r section vtaken'aliig' 'the p;

will comprise acertain amount of material back and'f'ror'it extending fromr the shoulders to the? hemline. this' length of material in sucha Way that the hemlin'e lies ih asingle horizontal plane.' However, as pregnancy progresses' Withincident enlargement of -the abdominalarea, the material cor'istitu'ting` the frontportion' of a v'garment israised at ,the Waistarea causing a pull from the 'The dressrnaken' in fitting, adjusts'y e shoulders and thelrlemlinel Since v"garments'are 1 usually" supported from the shoulders', 'the 'foregoing" tendencyfs ine'videnceonly at the hemline, the result being that the hemline at the front of the vskirtis pulled upwardlyiinto anv larcuate Y form While at theback ofthe skirt it remains in no1"ni1al 'positionk This change'iin the' level of 'the heml'ine makes vit necessary for 'the' wearer/to e edenttt'i' tion Willb yappar nt oontiniianyznnsew the hem ofl thev garment end f resew it v'n'correctposition; y f Thegh'e'mline yprc'iloler'n has not heretofore? been solved and lnoy'vnr 'constructions allowing for-ine cieasesjin'the cross=sectional area 'of the'skirt "atl the'wais't dof'riot, regardless of how effected, provide? sufficient compensation to insure mainte#v nente ofitheinitini hermine position. i

It is thereforgeen object ofy thisI invention to overcome 'the foregoing 'c'iiiicultiesy and to provide nl nieterhity garment of vthe pleated type ohnraotenzedhy e siinpleygtnd easy adjustment ioi'inainteihihg the heiniine thereof in asingle horizontal piene {regardless-oi 'the degree rof'ine. f crease of thfe'jfcros'ssectnal areaof the skirt. i'

` According-to inveh 'on, it iscontemplated thetjthe fronti heiniine -ieveisofxo skirtedginne` ternity` garrentfnay bej v ine andfthat the adjust ent tney be mede in harmonywithan a j ist'rnentfcfkthe cross-secadjusted Without sewunonfoonsideiation of the following detaile A A with. theahe'xed drayvmgfwherei ing more par centrally-'loomed i'ont slit at 14, extending iroin urthenfohjeot or vthis) jintfention'f'to f oription"in-foonjiinctioh y 1 iseinenin ifiontfeietotion of efdfesjs j constructeldiin 'accordance' With the present ifithe'dress illustrated with integral skirt portions`,f a`s a matter of style a sepa-f Y rate waistband'is ordinarilyu's'ed .to connectl lthetwo seen in Figure l, hlnisey portion lL the fasteners 2 I the neckline of the dress to the waist band I3. Similarly, the skirt portion I6 is not continuous but includes two front edges I5 and I6 defining a space therebetween. The space between edges I5 and I6 is centrally located in the front of the garment and is in alignment with the slit at I4 so as to form a continuation thereof. Since the garment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is shown in fully retracted position, the area between edges I5 and I6 is largely occupied by pleats I1 and I8 comprised of overlapped portions of the material constituting the front portion of the skirt I0.

Overlying the slit at I4 and the space between the folds of pleats I 1 and I8 is a continuous front panel I9 which extends from the shoulders to the hemline of the garment. Panel I9 is attached to blouse portion II only at two points of support which, as shown, may be a plurality of snap fasteners 29 located on each shoulder of the blouse. Snap fasteners 20 are located in banks of four, each of the three banks shown lying in a different horizontal plane. It is contemplated that only one of these banks be `used at any given time and, with the waist line fully retracted as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the uppermostbank will be in operative position, see Figure 3. Ordinarily, only four cooperating snap fasteners 2I need be attached to panel I9 for coaction with Although panel I9 is not attached to blouse II at any portion thereof except for support by snap fasteners 20, it is sewed to the edges I5 and I6 of the skirt portion I0 as may be seen by reference to Figure 2.

At the waist line, waist band I3 ends at points 22 and 23 and from points 22 and 23 to the central vertical slits of blouse II and skirt I these latter portions are not connected and hence define therebetween two horizontal slits 24 and 25. At a point overlying slits 24 and 25, panel I9 is provided with a portion 26 overlying and attached to the same. The projecting edges of portion 26 are provided with fasteners 21 intended for cooperation with any one of the fasteners 28 carried by the skirt in order to control adjustably the depth of pleats I1 and I8 and hence the crosssectional area of the garment at the waist line.

When the dress shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, is used during pregnancy it is first Worn with all fasteners attached in the manner shown. Thereafter, as the girth of the wearer increases,

the depth of pleats I1 and I8 is reduced. Con-- currently with each adjustment of the depth of these pleats a lower set of fasteners 29 is brought into operation thereby lowering the hemline by lowering the upper support for panel I9. Thus, despite increases in girth, the hemline is maintained in a single horizontal plane. y

Clearly, a greater or lesser number of fasteners 2-2I and 21-28 may be employed to render nner adjustments. Also it is contemplated that some means be provided for at least partially closing the slit at I4 in blouse II. For example,

one or more tie strings 29 may serve this purpose.

The garment shown in Figures 4 and 5 is essentially similar to the one just described and like parts have been designated by like reference characters. The manner of support of panel I9 from blouse portion Il is identical to that shown in Figures l and 3. At the waist and skirt portions, however, the garment is provided with four instead of two pleats. These pleats are in pairs and are formed by twice doubling the skirt material adjacent edges I and I6 thus forming pleats 30, 3l, 32 and 33. Of these a portion of pleats 30 and 3| shows on either side of panel I9, see Figure 4.

At the waist of the garment portion 26 is provided with fasteners 34 cooperating with fasteners 35 attached to pieces 36 and 31 which, in turn, are fastened to pleats 32 and 33. Pieces 36 and 31, as well as portion 26, serve in the construction of Figures 4 and 5 the function which portion 26 alone serves in the construction of Figures 1 and 2. Thus pieces 36 and 31 are also provided with fasteners cooperating with fasteners on waist band I3. These fasteners are designated by the numerals 38 and 39.

The increase of the cross-sectional area of the garment shown in Figures 4 and 5 is effected in much the same way as the increase of the garment shown in Figures 1 and 2. However, pleats 3I and 33 of the garment of Figure 5 have a composite depth about equal to the depth of corresponding pleat I8, see Figure 2. Thus, as pregnancy progresses, first one of the sets of pleats may be let out and then the other. In order to maintain as long as possible the pleasing lines of the construction of Figure 4, pleats 36 and 3| will be the first to be reduced in depth. As be-` fore, the continuous central panel I9 is lowered to compensate for the lifting of the hemline thereby maintaining the latter continuously in a.Y Y

single horizontal plane.

While the illustrated forms of the invention have shown the various connections as effected by snaps it is evident that any type of quick detachable fastener may be used.

Having now described the invention in its preferred form, it is understood that variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is desired that the scope thereof be limited only by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A maternity dress comprising, a skirt having two generally parallel edges at the front thereof defining a centrally located space therebetween, a blouse portion, said blouse portion being slit in front from the waist line to the neckline, the split in the blouse portion being in vertical alignment with the space between the edges of the skirt, and a front panel overlying the slit in the blouse portion and extending from the shoulders thereof to the hemline of the dress, the edges of said skirt being folded back upon themselves and attached to said panel to `define two pleats, means connecting the blouse portion to the skirt portion, the connection being interrupted-adjacent the slit, a plurality of fasteners connecting the upper edge of said panel to the shoulder portion of said blouse, and a plurality of fasteners for supporting said skirt pleatrat different depths to allow for adjustment to accommodate increase in girth of the wearer, said first-named fasteners lying in different horizontal planes to allow said panel to be lowered when the Waistline of the wearer increases to insure maintenance of an even front hemline.

2. A maternity dress comprising, a skirt having two generally parallel edges at the front thereof defining a centrally located space therebetween, a blouse portion, said blouse portion being slit in front from the waist line to the neckline, the slit in the blouse portion being in vertical alignment with the space between the edges of the skirt, and a front panel overlying the slit in the blouse portion and extending from the shoulders thereof to the hemline of the dress, the edges of said skirt being folded back upon themselves a plu.

'lying in different n panel to be lowered when the Waistline of the wearer increases to insure maintenance of yan rality of times and attachedvto said panel to de-yv ne a plurality of pleats on either side thereof,

means .connecting the blouse portion to the skirt portion, the connection being interrupted adjacent the slit, a plurality of fasteners connecting the upper edge of said panel to the shoulder por'- tion of said blouse, anda plurality ofv fasteners for supporting said skirt pleat at different depths f to allow for adjustment to accommodatel increase in girth of the wearer, said rst-named fasteners horizontal planes to allow said even hemline.

3. A maternity dress comprising a skirt havingl l two generallsT parallel edges at the frontvthereof defining a centrally located space therebetween,

a `blouse portion, said blouse portion being slit in front from the waistline tothe neckline, the split in the blouse portion being invertical alignment with the space between l,the edges of the skirt, and a front panel overlying the slit in the' v thereof-t the p u said skirt being folded back upon themselves-and' l attached to said panel to denne two pleats,meansA connecting the blouse portion-totheskirt pori tion,y the connectionA beinginterrupted adjacent l the slit, a .pluralityof fasteners iconnectingfthe upper edge of said panel to `the shoulder portion of l saidv blouse, a gbelt attached 'to vand extending laterally of` said panel, vsaid belt'being'provided Witha plurality of fasteners', cooperatingr fasten- A fers on means connecting the'skirt p'ortionfand the blouse portion, said fasteners supporting said` skirt pleat at.diffe'rent depths to allowforfadjustment'to accommodateincreasein girthof the wearer', said first-named fasteners lying indif# ferent horizontal lowered when lthe waistlinev ofthe vwearer iri-r creases' toy insure `maintenance of anleyen hemiline.

planes to allow, saidzpanel to ,be

. Burn M. MAHONEY;-kk 

